Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-07-09
MARTINsBURG'S BIG DAY.


MARTINsBURG, w. VA, July g.
Yesterday, which closed in such
pyrotechnic splendor, was not only
the greatest in the history of Mar
tinsbury, but nothing like it has
been seen before in this whole neck
Of woods. Therefore | ask to be
permitted to supplement Mr.. Harris
brief dispatch. First of all let me
say that so big an affair was never
undertaken at so short notice, and
never was there SO general surprise
at the success which went beyond
all expectation. If anybody would
know how much effort is required to
make a thing of this kind go, let
him ask Mr.. Stuart Walker and
his assistants, who never stopped
going from the time they began.
The people took hold with will,
put their money literally into bunt-
ing and whatever would make the
town look gay, the country people
responded literally with supplies,
and after the multitude of visiting
organizations had been fed there
was so much left that the poor oil
the town will profit well by the over
plus.
THE LADIES WERE OUT.
The spirit shown by the ladies oil
the town and vicinity is worthy oil
remark. They lent their assistance
in every way, and after they had
joined heartily in decorating their
houses, they appeared on the streets
radiant in the national colors. The
display of the flag was universal, SC
that if anybody tells you that we
are not reconstructed in Berkeley
you will not believe it. If there is
ever another call to arms we shall
all be under the one dear old flag. II
was beautiful, though in these
days not an uncommon sight, OF
course, to see men who had met in
hostility on the field of battle march
ing together under the flag of the
reunited country. This was the
spirit with which Martinsburg went
into the celebration, and it was this
that made the great success.
THE SPEAKING.
/ want to give you little more
than you have had about the speak
ing. Mr.. Harris modesty did moi
permit him to say anything in his
telegram about his speech, which
was the hit of the day. [ do moi
recall a speech here for a long time
which has been so much talked
about and with such favorable com
ments. The speaker soon got or
the best of terms with his audience
He was short, sharp and always tC
the point. There was humor enough
in it to relieve the strain of what
was in fact serious presentation Of
a very serious question. After
speaking of the revival of the Fourth
of July this year, Mr.. Hart took
hold of the question of the quantity
and quality of immigration flowing
to this country, and handled it in q
style that caught his audience. He
said there was still room in this
country for more of the self.reliant
industrious people of the old world
who had the desire and the ability
to come on their own account. But
we must take them In our own time
we cannot let them be forced upon
us, for we must have regard fol
the welfare of our own citizens
native and adopted, all of whom are
on the same level. We must write
on our frontiers, in bold characters
aud in all the languages Of the earth
the easily understood legend, nc
paupers, no criminals, no contract
laborers, no Anarchists, nobody
whom we do not want need apply
The extent to which immigration
should be further restricted was, be
said, a question of our capacity tt
asslmilate. And so with the suf
frage. The country had reached &
point where it's welfare demanded
that it must look to the character o.
the raw material that is worked into
inhabitants and citizens. The idea
that this country is penal colony
or universal almshouse for the &C
commodation of all the world, had
been somewhat overdone, and il
was time to call a halt, to shut
down the gates. The speaker illus
trated his idea with strong and
beautiful figures of speech. He had
the closest attention and the mosl
hearty applause.
Mr.. Weeks, of Baltimore, in his
address took just the opposite side
of the immigration question, want
ing to let in every body as fast as they
all could get here. The two sides Of
the question were well presented
but the people were not on the side
of unrestricted immigration, though
Mr.. Weeks gave an old time Fourth
of July Grafton of a high character
-Intelhgeacer.
George Honoway, an inmate OF
the Grant county Jail, died few
days since. His case seemed to be